OS X upgrade

[canuksker]

I have an old power mac 7600/132 running OS 8 that I use at the school where I teach, because it is the only mac in the building and I have years of curriculum and my preferred grade program on it. I am not a computer guy and especially not with macs and that is why I like it, if it is working you don't have to understand much, but when it isn't...no one even remembers using OS 8.

Can I just upgrade to OS X? The machine came with OS 7.5 and I just ran a CD and it upgraded without losing any data or functionality. Is the jump to X to big of a change?

 

[croshtique]

That PowerMac won't support OSX I'm afraid. Like you implied, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!

 

[p0intblank]

That thing is ooooold! Seriously though, if you want a Mac to work on and don't feel like spending much, get a Mac mini. The lowest config is $499.

 

[DXoverDY]

as someone who will be going into the teaching field.. i cannot stress enough how useful it is to know how to use technology. i urge you to try something new and try to keep up to date on it, within reason of course. so much of the kids lives are based around technology that knowing it can help you tie things together with students who otherwise might not be interested. you can use technology to your advantage, and to theirs.

I have a feeling as soon as i start teaching full time i will be writing a grading program specifically to suit my needs. when the time comes i will likely make it free or shareware (small fee of like $5 for teachers) ... i have ideas.. just gotta put them to use and see if they might work

 

[canuksker]

I have technology, it just isn't mac, I have 4 pentium 4s in my room and a lab full of them, and we do much of our chem and physics labs with them, but I like the grade program and have lots of labs and tests on the old machine. But when schools went to windows based hardware and gateway and dell gave them great prices, my mac training ceased and things have changed in the last 6 or 7 years!!

 

[DXoverDY]

I have technology, it just isn't mac, I have 4 pentium 4s in my room and a lab full of them, and we do much of our chem and physics labs with them, but I like the grade program and have lots of labs and tests on the old machine. But when schools went to windows based hardware and gateway and dell gave them great prices, my mac training ceased and things have changed in the last 6 or 7 years!!

ah ok i misunderstood you then i think you'll be seeing a slight change happening again soon. expect more macs in your classroom in the future. if it ain't broke, don't fix it

 

[macbaseball]

Can I just upgrade to OS X? The machine came with OS 7.5 and I just ran a CD and it upgraded without losing any data or functionality. Is the jump to X to big of a change?

Yeah it's totally redone. A little off topic, but is your PowerMac backed up? It's getting up there in age, and it sounds like you have some stuff that's priceless - i.e. the tests and student work. BTW, what format are the documents in and what's the name of the Gradebook. Before you upgrade anymore I would look into whether the programs and files are supported in later OS's. Apple's great about supporting older versions, but some third party apps, don't have backwards compatibliity - meaning older documents don't work with newer versions of the software. I would just look into it before spending anymore time or money.

 

[madmax_2069]

you know there is G3 prolly even a G4 cpu upgrade for that older mac. and i think xpostfacto will allow os x 10-10.2 to run on it once you upgrade the cpu to a G3 or G4 and max the ram i think its a pci type of cpu. but just like every one has said you can prolly buy a mac mini for about $100-200 more than the cpu upgrade will be but the mac mini wont boot into os 9.2 but os x does have classic mode not quite like os 9.2 but will run most 9.2 stuff